RoadVitals

2008 Buick Lucerne Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest May 13, 2022
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 218 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Buick Lucerne submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed May 13, 2022

The fuel pump relay kept burning out. And caused the fuse box terminal heat damage. Almost started on fire and started smoking. Vehicle stalled out on the freeway and the Dept of Public safety towed my vehicle off the freeway.

NHTSA ID
11464545
Incident
Apr 20, 2022
Driver assistanceFuel systemInterior & seats
Filed Sep 12, 2018

CRANK NO START. BACK SEAT HOUSING WAS PUSHING AGAINST FUSE BOX IN BACKSEAT CHUSHION CAUSING FUEL RELAY TO NOT WORK. RELAY WAS DAMAGED AS A RESULT. FUEL PUMP WAS ALSO DAMAGE

NHTSA ID
11129082
Incident
Sep 5, 2018
Mileage
138,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Mar 7, 2018
Crash reported

BUICK LUCERNE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS - ONSTAR SUSPECTED. I 'M NOT SURE THAT THIS IS OR ISN'T A SAFETY PROBLEM, BUT AFTER COMPLAINING TO BUICK I WAS ADVISED BY THEM TO FILE A CLAIM(?) WITH YOU. ABOUT A MONTH TO 6 WEEKS AFTER AN IN-TOWN ACCIDENT (10/22/16) THAT WAS REPAIRED IMMACULATELY BY THE LOCAL GM DEALER, THE CAR SAT IN A PARK AND FLY LOT FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS WHILE WE HAD GONE VISITING OUT EAST. WHEN WE GOT BACK THE CAR WAS DEAD AS A STONE. AFTER A TRIPLE A CALL WE GOT HOME AND IMMEDIATELY GOT A NEW BATTERY (12/20/16), EVEN THOUGH I WAS SURPRISED THAT IT HAD GONE DEAD BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING (SLOW STARTING, ETC). HOWEVER, IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS OR SO, TWO MORE NEW ONES WENT DEAD (2ND 1/3/17, 3RD 3/13/17) AND WERE REPLACE BY THE DEALER AT NO CHARGE. HOWEVER, IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, NOT ONLY DID THE ONSTAR GO DEAD, THE BRAKES LIGHTS QUIT AND WAS REPLACED, THE CRUISE CONTROL QUIT, THE STABILTRAK QUIT, (AND BOTH WERE REPLACED). MY INSURANCE COMPANY - AMERICAN FAMILY - INFORMED ME THAT THE ACCIDENT IS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS. SO FINALLY I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SHOP CAS (COMPLETE AUTO SERVICE - AUSTIN) THAT DOES THE CITY'S POLICE CARS, AND THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC ON IT AND EVEN THOUGH THE ONSTAR HAS QUIT WORKING, BY REMOVING THE FUSE IN IT THAT 'SEEMS' - AFTER SPENDING OVER $1300 AND STILL NOT REPLACING THE ONSTAR FOR ANOTHER $650, - TO HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. AT LEAST SO FAR.

NHTSA ID
11076724
Incident
Oct 22, 2016
Mileage
78,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalFuel system
Filed Nov 6, 2017

WAS DRIVING AND VEHICLE STARTED TO STUTTER,HESITATE , THEN TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING BRAKES DIDN'T WORK PROPERLY. WE WERE ON AN OVER PASS DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC BUSY INTERSECTION. FINALLY AFTER ABOUT 1 HR WE MADE IT TO AUTOZONE LIMP MODE ALL THE WAY. PURCHASED COILS X 3 , COIL IGNITION MODULE, SPARK PLUG WIRES,SPARK PLUGS, CAMSHAFT SENSOR,CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. THEN FIND OUT IT WAS ONLY A FREAKING FUSE UNDER SEAT THAT WAS BURNT AND MELTING AWAY. NOT VERY HAPPY. GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR KNOWING ABOUT THIS AND NOT OFFERING TO FIX IT.

NHTSA ID
11043973
Incident
Nov 6, 2017
Mileage
70,235 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalFuel system
Filed Sep 14, 2017

MY BUICK HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY BREAKING DOWN AND EVERY MECHANIC HAS TOLD ME THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS THE FUEL PUMP AND THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE SEAT. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD HAVE ANY PROBLEMS SINCE BUYING THIS CAR IN 2016. BUT, I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS AND ALL I SEE ARE RECALLS ON MY BUICK. EVERYTIME I CALL IN TO COMPLAIN AND ASK ABOUT THE RECALL ITS ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW AND THAT YOU GUYS CAN'T DO ANYTHING. THIS WAS MY FIRST PURCHASE FOR MY 21ST BIRTHDAY AND I NEVER WANT A BUICK EVER AGAIN. IF THERE IS SOMEONE THAT COULD HELP ME REGARDING MY FUEL PUMP AND FUSE BOX PLEASE CONTACT ME AND MAYBE YOU COULD DO BETTER AND SEND ME THE PARTS TO FIX MY CAR. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I HOPE SOMEONE COULD CONTACT ME RIGHT AWAY.

NHTSA ID
11023559
Incident
Sep 14, 2017
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 13, 2016

MY FATHER-IN-LAW HAD THE COMPLAINT THAT HIS CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. I CHECKED THE CAR OVER AND IT WAS WORKING FINE. ON HIS WAY HOME IT QUIT WORKING AFTER ABOUT 75 MILES. ANOTHER CHECK AND ALL WAS FINE. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I JUST HAPPENED TO BE FOLLOWING HIM AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON AND NEVER WENT OFF. I CONFIRMED WITH HIM THAT HIS FOOT WAS NOT ON THE PEDAL. I PUT TOGETHER THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE COMING ON AND SHUTTING OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. HE TOOK THE CAR IN AND THEY ADDED BRAKE FLUID. THE CRUISE CONTROL KEPT KICKING OUT. I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS EITHER OUT OF ADJUSTMENT OR DEFECTIVE AND WROTE IT DOWN FOR HIS DEALER. IT TURNED OUT THE SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND IT WAS REPLACED. THE CAR HAS 68,000 AND GARAGED. AS A DRIVER YOU WON'T KNOW THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON WITHOUT LOOKING OR FIND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS PERMANENTLY ON, OTHER DRIVERS CAN'T TELL WHEN YOU ARE ACTUALLY SLOWING DOWN OR STOPPING, AND THAT IS A POTENTIAL RISK FOR BEING REAR ENDED. MY FATHER-IN-LAW TRIED TO BE AWARE OF THIS SITUATION BY ENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN POSSIBLE. AS LONG AS IT WAS WORKING, HE KNEW HIS BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OPERATING AS THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO. HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY AND CITY, MOVING. BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ON AFTER STOPPING. EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL AFTER AWHILE, I SUSPECT INSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS AT PLAY SOMEWHAT ALSO.

NHTSA ID
10935162
Incident
Nov 23, 2016
Mileage
68,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 30, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LUCERNE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE SPECIFIC REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 12/01/14*LJ

NHTSA ID
10640292
Incident
Sep 26, 2014
Mileage
50,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 27, 2014

WHILE ACCELERATING ON THE ON RAMP TO A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK TO FLOOR. (NO FLOOR MATS OR OTHER ITEMS WERE IN THE ANY WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.) CAR CONTINUED ACCELERATING, AND PEDAL CONTINUED TO STICK TO THE FLOOR DESPITE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO GET IT TO RELEASE. RPM'S WERE OVER 4500. SINCE I COULDN'T GET THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO RELEASE, I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. ABOUT 20 SECONDS AFTER SHIFTING, RPM'S WENT DOWN TO NORMAL AND PEDAL RELEASED. AT THAT TIME I COULD GET THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN TO A NORMAL SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10594201
Incident
May 24, 2014
Mileage
81,997 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Dec 18, 2012

BRAKES LIGHTS WOULD COME ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE DRIVING OR WHILE PARKED WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALSO CRUISE CONTROL WOULD BE DISABLED WITHOUT USING THE BRAKE OR ANY SWITCH TO DISABLE IT. TOOK IT TO A GM REPAIR FACILITY (DEALER) WHO RECALIBRATED THE BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH, BUT THE CONDITION RETURNED. TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WHO RECALIBRATED THE BRAKE PEDAL SENSOR. THAT INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY THOUGHT THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON BY THEMSELVES. HAZARD: SOMEONE DRIVING BEHIND COULD CONFUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON AS A SIGN THAT THE CAR WAS SUDDENLY STOPPING, WHICH MIGHT CAUSE THE CAR FOLLOWING TO SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10489164
Incident
Apr 26, 2011
Mileage
8,275 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 4, 2012

WHILE DRIVING A HIGHWAY SPEED,MY 2008 BUICK LUCERNE SHOWED A SERVICE STABILITRAK LIGHT.THIS CAUSED A LOSS OF TRACTION AND I HAD TO SLOWLY BRING THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL MANUALLY. THIS CONDITION LASTED A FEW SECONDS AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEED UP TO THE PRESENT DATE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY DEALER(KARP BUICK). THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM.THE CONDITION STILL EXISTS. IT ALSO SOMETIMES SHOWS A STABILITRAK NOT READY LIGHT AND CAUSES THE SAME LOSS OF CONTROL.I UNDERSTAND THE BUICK LACROSSE,THE GMC ACADIA AND THE GMC SIERRA HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *JS

NHTSA ID
10464173
Incident
Jun 1, 2012
Mileage
85,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 4, 2010
Crash reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LUCERNE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, RESULTING IN A CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 13,800. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10364005
Incident
Oct 30, 2010
Mileage
13,800 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .